Pilot reports someone flying in a jetpack near Los Angeles airport — again

Officials are investigating a report from a China Airlines pilot that someone was flying in a jetpack as the plane approached Los Angeles International Airport to land on Wednesday. It marks the second such report in about six weeks.

“We just saw a flying object like a flying suit that’s passing by us” at an altitude of roughly 6,000 feet, the pilot said, CBS Los Angeles reports. Local law enforcement was notified and is investigating the report.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the latest sighting was reported around 1:45 p.m.

“A China Airlines crew member reported seeing what appeared to be someone in a jetpack roughly seven miles northwest of the airport,” the FAA said in a statement. The FAA alerted local law enforcement and is investigating the report.

On Aug. 29, authorities received separate reports from two airline pilots that someone was flying in a jetpack at around 3,000 feet as their planes approached LAX.

CBS News correspondent Kris Van Cleave reports the FBI and FAA are investigating those incidents. It’s not clear if there is any link between the newest sighting and the August incident.

Experts responded to the August report with skepticism. Van Cleave reports there does not appear to be a jetpack on the market that could get someone to an elevation of roughly 3,000 feet and back to the ground safely. That would require a lot of fuel or a parachute. No parachute was seen. 

David Mayman, CEO of L.A.-based Jetpack Aviation, told Van Cleave he was also doubtful it was a jetpack.

“They’d run out of fuel, they use fuel too quickly,” Mayman said, adding that a typical flight time for a jetpack is just 5 to 10 minutes. “If it’s a real jetpack, its noisy.  People would have heard it take off and land.”

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